Portalupi's winemaking legacy began with Tim Borges, who brought over 40 years of experience and an unwavering commitment to Italian varietals to every vintage. That tradition is now carried forward by Ryan Kunde.

Ryan was born in Sonoma, part of a 5th generation winegrowing family where a sense of tradition and connection to the land runs deep. After earning a business degree at Arizona State and working in wine sales for Gallo, he followed his instincts back to the vineyard — completing harvest internships and earning a second degree in viticulture and enology from UC Davis in 2011. He and his wife Katie went on to found DRNK Wines in Sebastopol, and for the past fourteen years Ryan has also served as winemaker for Capo Isetta, honing his craft with Italian varietals.

Ryan's philosophy blends deep respect for tradition with evolving science and data — allowing for precision winemaking that starts in the vineyard, from roots to vines and vineyard to cave.

Ryan's connection to Portalupi runs deeper than most — the winery's very first vintage was crafted in what is now the DRNK wine cave. Carrying Portalupi's Italian varietal program forward feels less like a new chapter and more like coming full circle.